Dispenser for pressure sensitive tapes



p 1951 T. H. KRUEGER DISPENSER FOR PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPES 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 11, 1948 rlllll.

6 1, w duag' 1 73% attorneys Sept. 4, 1951 T. H. KRUEGER 2,566,733

DISPENSER FOR PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPES Filed Feb. 11, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Gum-m Patented Sept. 4, 1 951 DISPENSER FDR re ssure SENSITIVE TAPES Theodore H. Krueger, Stratford, .Conn., assignor t Better P ck ges nc rporated, a cornolta ip of New York Application February 11, 1948, Serial No. 162*? Glaims. 1

This invention relates to dispensers for pres.- sure sensitive adhesive tape of the character which is normally tacky and will adhere to :a surface to which it may be applied without previous moistening or subsequent treatment such as heating. Tape-of this character usually comes in closely wound rolls, and the application .of some force .is required to unwind the tape from the .roll.

Prefer-red :methods of .feeding or dispensing tape :of this character comprise movable or rotary members to which the leading end of the tape is caused to adhere, such members being moved in such a way as .to-draw the tape from the roll and present theend of it in position for severing and removal by the operator. It .has been :proposed, as :for example in myapplication tor patent, Serial No. 393,;231 filed May 13, 1941, now, Patent 2,444,019 granted .June .22, 1948, to make the feeding member in the form of a reel comprising spaced supports for engaging the adhesive surface of the tape at intervals, the rotation of the reel drawing the tape :from the roll and :presenting the leading end of the tape in position where it may be grasped bythe operator. In case the tape engaging supports of the reel are-sufficiently.farapart, the operator may insert his finger .between two of the supports .and lift oifthe tape attached thereto. This construction of ."feed reel with spaced supports is satisfactory for feeding :IilOStikll'idS of pressure sensitive adhesive :tape, :but in some instances it is desirable to provide a feeding member having a surface :in continuous engagement with the tape for .drawing the-tape from the roll, and advancing it .to a desired position.

The .present invention provides a feeding means for pressure sensitive adhesive tape which .hasa {ceding surface with which the tape is ,in continuous engagement, but in which the tape ;is laterally displaced with respect to the feeding surface to such ansextent as to provide apro'jecting .edge which may be readily engaged by .the operator in order to strip the fed tape from the feeding member for severing and removal. ffhis type of feeding member provides a continuous pull upon .the tape and gives increased traction for drawing the tape from the roll. It also avoids the possibility of the tape being marred by crossmarks which might be produced it the tape were :fed by means ofspaced tape engaging members. Another advantage .is that with a continuous feeding surface, it is possible toadjust the length of the feed stroke to dispense any lengthof tape desired. 'Inthecase of a feedreel 2 V having spaced supports, however, it is :usually feasible to dispensecnly ipieces of a length equal to the distance :between two supports-or multiples thereof. The continuous surface feeding member is also easier to construct, as it maybe a simple cylindrical drum. a

.With the foregoing considerations in view, it is an object of the present invention to provide a dispenser for pressure sensitive adhesive tape in which the tapeisdrawn from the roll by-afeed member having a continuous surface, the tape being so placed on the surfacethat-a margin is provided by which it may :be grasped for ready removal.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following .desgription of certain preferred embodiments there- 0 ;In the accompanying drawings:

Figure -1 is a perspective view .of :a dispenser embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is :a front view .of the dispenser :shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the dispenser shown in Figs. 1 and 2, part of the casing being broken away.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal central "sectional view of the dispenser shown in Fig. '1, partly broken away;

Figure 5 isa-transverse vertical section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Figured is a10ngitudina1-vertical section on=line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Figure '7 is a similar section on line of Fig. 5.

Figure-Bis a transverse vertical section online 878 of Fig. 4 showing the construction of one form of taperoll-holder which mayadvantageously be employed; and

Figure 9 isa front elevation of a modified form of the dispenser, part of the front wall .of the casing being broken away.

Referring to the drawings in detai he .particular form of dispenser shown inFigs. l to ,8 comprises a casing formed of two hollow, half casing members I0 and i2 hinged togetheralong their lower edges by hinges 1.4, and ,being provided with feet 16 mounted on laterally proi ctins lugs ,l-8. This form of casi pr vides easy access to the interior for the insertion ,of new rolls of tape; ,at the same time, when the casing is set upon a flat surface, the two casing parts being hinged at the bottom :between the feet 11,-6 tend to stay in closed relationship fl action of gravity. At the front of the casing is a dispensing opening [9.

Inside of the casing is a roll of tape 20 moun on a suitable support. The strip of tape 22 coming from the roll is shown as passing around a guide roller 24 pivoted on a stud 26 and passing around a cylindrical feed surface 28 formed on a feed drum 30 which is pivoted on a stud 32. The feed surface may be a smooth hard surface ofmetal or plastic or it may be roughened by knurling, or otherwise suitably prepared so that the tape will adhere thereto firmlyenough to be fed but not so tightly that it cannot be readily stripped off by the operator. The studs 26 and 32 may be mounted in any suitable manner, as for instance upon a backing plate 34 which is attached to bosses 36 cast on the side of the casing.

The tape strip 22 is so directed as to partly overlap the feed surface 28 of the drum 30 with the adhesive face of the tape resting on the drum so as to firmly adhere thereto in order to enable the tape to be drawn from the roll and advanced by rotation of drum 3!]. The strip of tape, however, is so directed to the drum as to leave a side margin of the tape projecting beyond the side of the drum, such projecting side being indicated at 38,. This projecting side margin provides a means by which the tape may be grasped for stripping the piece of tape to be dispensed from the drum.

In order to direct the tape in the proper path to the drum, a suitable holder for supporting the roll of tape in the proper plane may be employed, such holder, however, being preferably adjustable so as to adjust the lateral position of the roll. The tape may be properly fed to the tape feeding surface and the machine may be adjusted to dispense tapes of various widths. Also the tape may be adjusted so that just the desired degree of overlap is secured to obtain the strength of adhesion between the tape and feed drum.

Any suitable type of laterally adjustable roll holder may be employed. A very satisfactory form is that disclosed in the application for patent of Hillmer, Serial No, 695,363, filed September 7, 1946, now Patent 2,466,950, granted April 12, 1949. This roll holder comprises a backing spool 40 and a retaining member 42 (shown in Figs. 4 and 8). The backing spool has a plurality ,of arms 44 carrying seats 45 adapted to fit inside of the core of the tape roll 20 and having shoulders 48 against which the edge of the tape roll core is adapted to be pressed. The backing spool has a hole therethrough which is internally threaded as indicated at 50 and which screws on a threaded sleeve 52 mounted to rotate freely on a pivot stud 54 fixed in the back plate 34. The sleeve 52 is retained on the stud by a nut 56 which screws on a reduced end 58 of the stud. The retaining member 42 comprises a piece of metal thin enough to have resiliency, which has a central portion 60 in which is an elongated hole 62. The hole is eccentrically placed so that when the retaining member is centered with respect to the backing spool, the end 64 of the hole will fit closely to the threaded sleeve 52; whereas when the retaining member is slid laterally so that the end 66 of the hole is adjacent to the threaded sleeve the retaining member will be cccentrically located with respect to the backing spool. The retaining member has a pair of offset end flanges 68 which are adapted to overlie the core of the tape roll and clamp the core and tape roll firmly to the backing spool as shown in Fig. 8. For clamping the retaining member against the tape roll, a threaded nut 10 is provided which may be grasped in any suitable manner as by means of knurling l2 and screwed in and out upon the threaded sleeve 52. Owing to the use of the eccentric hole 62, it is unnecessary to entirely remove the nut and retaining member in order to permit a new roll to be applied. The threaded sleeve may be readily reached by the fingers and held from turning while the nut 10 is being adjusted.

The position of the roll to the right or left of the longitudinal axis of the machine may be adjusted by loosening the nut 70, holding the sleeve 52 against rotation and then turning the backing spool so as to screw the same either to the right or left along the sleeve 52. When the proper adjustment has been reached, the nut 10 can be tightened to clamp the core of the tape roll against the backing spool and this will hold the backing spool against further rotation relative to the sleeve 52. The roll of tape is thus held in its proper lateral adjustment. At the same time, the tape roll, backing spool and retaining member, nut 10 and sleeve 52 will rotate freely about the pivot 54 so as to permit the tape to be stripped from the roll.

The roll holder described is particularly useful for the holding of rolls of tape of different widths. For instance, if a roll of tape somewhat wider than that shown is to be put into the dispenser, the backing spool is adjusted towards the left to such an extent as to support the Wider roll of tape in proper alignment with the dispensing drum. Likewise, if a narrower roll of tape is to be used, the backing spool is adjusted further to the right so that while still engaging the drum, a sufficient overhanging margin is provided by which the operator may grasp the tape for re.-. moval.

It will be understood that any other suitable means for properly locating the roll or .di-. recting the tape therefrom may be provided;

Suitable means are provided for rotating the drum 3;) so as to advance the tape to dispensing position. In the construction shown a feed lever is fixed to a rotatable hub 82 mounted on the stud 32. The lever 80 is provided at its outer end with a, handle 84. The hub 82 is provided with eccentric surfaces 86 and shoulders '83 which .cooperate with clutch rollers 90, the hub and clutch rollers being mounted within an .an-. nular flange 92 projecting from one side of the feed drum 30. This form of construction con.- stitutes a one way clutch so that movement ,of the lever 8!! in the downward direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4 will rotate the feed .drum in counterclockwise direction, thereby drawing tape from the roll and advancing the leading end of the tape into an accessible position, .as shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. .To enable the overhanging margin of the leading .end of the tape to be readily reached by the operator, the casing section l2 is preferably notched out, as indicated at 9.4. A spring 96 is connected to. a lug 98 on the lever 38 for returning the lever to its upward position when released, such re; turn movement, however, not tending normally to move the drum 28. Preferably, ratchet means is provided for positively preventing reverse. ro tation of the drum in a clockwise directiorn As shown a clutch hub I00 is provided Whichis keyed to the stud 32 which is provided with clutch rollers .102 movable inside of a flange 194 9n the drum vto. This construction permits free. 19%.:

tion of the drum in a clockwise direction, but prevents counterclockwise rotation. Any other suitable one-way driv and ratchet arrangements may be employed.

With the construction shown the length of tape fed at each operation is determined by the distance through which the lever 39 is moved. Adjustable stop means are preferably provided by which such distance may be regulated, so that pieces of tape of predetermined length may be dispensed. As illustrated a stop pin H0 is mounted in position for engagement by the lever 80. This stop pin is carried on a screw threaded stud I I2 which is slidable in a slot I I4 in the casing well, and which may be locked in any desired position in such slot by means of a wing nut II6. A scale H9 is preferably marked on the side of the casing, so as to enable the stop pin to be set in desired position.

Suitable means are preferably provided for severing the piece of tape to be dispensed. Such severing means may be of any desired type. In the construction shown a tear-off cutter blade I29 is provided which extends transversely across the tape at the top of the front opening in the casing. The tear-off blade is shown as mounted on a bracket flange I22 bent over at the top of the back plate 34. As clearly appears in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the leading end of the tape is exposed through the opening in the frontof the casing. The operator grasps the projecting side margin of the tape, strips the tape from the drum and tears it upwardly against the edge of the cutter, as shown in Fig. 3. As the predetermined amount of tape has been fed by the movement of the lever 80 down against the stop I I0, a piece of tape of predetermined length is dispensed. In this way waste of tape is avoided. However, if a long length of tape is desired. this may be secured by repeated movements of lever 80 while holding the end of the tape and progressively stripping it from the drum, or by pulling firmly on the free end of the tape, the clutch arrangement being such that the tape drum can be advanced in a clockwise direction, by pull on the tape, although it is not free to rotate in a counterclockwise direction.

In Fig. 9 a modified form of tape feeding member is illustrated which comprises a narrow disc I30 which is shown as mounted for rotation in exactly the same manner as the drum 28 previously described. A disc of this type is particularly suitable for the feeding of very narrow tapes. With this kind of a disc the tape may be so located as to overhang or project at each side of the disc.

Fig. 9 also shows a means of guiding the tape to the disc embodying the use of a roller I32 provided with adjustable side flanges I34. These flanges are shown as provided with set screws I36 by which they may be secured in desired adjusted position upon the roller. Where a flanged guide roller of this kind is used, it is not necessary to provide an adjustable tape roll holder of the kind described above.

While I have illustrated and described in detail certain preferred forms of my invention, it it is to be understood that changes may be made therein and the invention embodied in other structures. I do not therefore desire to limit myself to the specific constructions illustrated, but instead to cover the invention broadly in whatever form its principles may be utilized.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser for pressure sensitive adhesive tape, a supporting structure, a tape supplying device mounted on said supporting structure, a tape feed roll device mounted on the supporting structure longitudinally removed from the tape supplying device, said tape feed roll device including a tape feed roll element having a continuous cylindrical dispensing surface engaging the tacky side of said tape, said tape feed roll dispensing surface being laterally offset from the center of the tape supplying device and from the center of the tape being supplied to receive one edge only of the tape, the opposite edge of the tape extending laterally from the opposite side of the tape feed roll surface in a continuous manner whereby to permit a finger to be extended thereunder for the purpose of stripping the tape from the tape feed roll device, said feed roll element thereby providing a free annular space for the reception of the finger under the laterally extended portion of the tape and a tearing blade mounted on the supporting structure adjacent the feed roll dispensing surface and extending across said tape whereby said stripped tape may be severed.

2. In a dispenser for pressure sensitive adhesive tape as defined in claim 1, in which said supporting structure includes casing parts enclosing said tape supplying and tape feed roll devices and providing an opening therein overlying said tape feed roll surface and exposing the laterally extended portion of the tape whereby access may be had through the casing parts to the laterally extended portion of the fed tape.

THEODORE H. KRUEGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,732 Krueger Mar. 19, 1946 470,346 Bodenbrown Mar. 8, 1892 1,800,511 'Cowles Apr. 14, 1931 1,972,850 McCarthy Sept. 4, 1934 1,972,851 McCarthy Sept. 4, 1934 2,099,647 Gautier Nov. 16, 1937 2,115,912 Helmon May 3, 1938 2,177,727 Krakaur Oct. 31, 1939 2,233,361 Anderson Feb. 25, 1941 2,267,962 Tishken Dec. 30, 1941 2,382,406 Engberg Aug. 14, 1945 

